Acetylene-gas generator.



J. P. WILLIAMS. ACETYLBNE GAS GENERATOR.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 11,1911.

Patented 111511111912.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

G @MMM Ano/mars WITNESSES J. P.: WILLIAMS. ACETYLENE GAS GENERATOR.

APPLIOTION FILEDIAY 11,1911.

Patented De@.`17,1912.

-IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIillIIIIn Hlm! Ano/Mfrs 'To all whom it mayconcern:

. UNITED STATES PATENT oEEicE.

JOHN F. WILLIAMS, OF WASSAIC, NEW YORK.

v AcE'rYLENE-eas GENERATOR.

Be it/known that I, JOHN F. WILLIAMS, a citizen of the United States,and a resident of Wassaic, in the'county of Dutchess and State of NewYork, have invented new and usefullmproveinents in Acetylene-GasGenerators, of which the following is a full,

i clear, and exact description, this being a .division of theapplication for Letters Patent of the United States, No. 584,997, filedby me October 3, 1910.

The object of the invention is to provide certain new and usefulimprovements in acetylene gas generators, whereby the amount of carbidin the feed hopper is indicated-at all times and an alarm is soundedwhenever the carbid p in the feed hopper reaches a low stage, andwherebyA .a supplementary charge of carbid Within the feed hopper may beadded to permit-ofrunning the acetylene gas generator another length oftime, say overnight, before being required to recharge, thus avoidingrecharging during the night or running out of gas and thereby avoidingthe consequent extiny guishing of the lights.

A practical embodimentof'the invention is represented in theaccompanying dra-wings forming a part of this specification, in whichsimilar characters of reference indi-Y cate corresponding parts in allthe views.

Figure l is a side elevation of .the improvement; Fig. 2 is a verticalsection of the same; Fig. 3 is a plan view of the same and showing thefeed hopper in section; Fig. 4 is an enlarged elevation of the automaticre-setting device for the follower; and Fig. 5 is an enlarged sectionalside elevation of part of the supplementary charging device, the sectionbeing on the line 5 5` of Fig. 3.

construction, and is connected at its lower` The feed hopper A `forcontaining the carbid may be of any approved shape and vided wit-h theusual filling tube E forA Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 17, 1912.

" Original application filed October 3, 1910, Serial No. 584,997.Divided and this application led May .11,

i 1911. Seria1,No.n626,409. v

container F, preferably inthe form of aA small cup, attached to theupper end of an arm F secured to a transverselv-extending :shaft Gjournaled in suitable bearings A',

.A2 arranged on the feed hopper A, one end of the shaft G extendingtothe outsidevof the-.feed hopper and terminating in a handle G" adaptedto'be taken'hold of by the operator to turn the shaft G, so vas to swingthe cup F from its normal posit-ion shown in Figs. 2 and 3, downwardinto a dumping position, to discharge the calcium carbid contained inthe container F into the hopper A for transmission through the neck Binto the gas generator C. -By arranging the container F within the feedhopper Ait is evident that-'when the feed hopper is filled with thecarbid then the container F is also filled with the carbid,and when theacetylene gas generator is in use the carbid contained in the hopper Ais gradually fed to the generator according to the gas consumption, butas the carbid moves out of the hopper A the carbid contained in thecontainer F remains in there, and when the carbid has been dischargedfrom the hopper A and the lights begin to go out then the operator in'charge can turn the handle G" so as to tilt the container- F intodumping position, whereby the carbid from the container F is dumped intothe hopper A to pass by way of the neck B into the generator C, togenerate a suiicient amount of gas for keeping the lights burning duringthe night. Thus by the arrangement described, the operator is notrequired to recharge the feed hopper A with carbid during the night andhence this dangerous proceeding is avoided.

The feed hopper A can be recharged next day in the usual manner, throughthe filling tube E.

-In order to provide a visible means. for indicating the amount. ofcarbid contained in the feed hopper A, use is made of a follower H inthe form of a plate, adapted to rest on top of the carbid contained inthe feed hopper A, the said plate H being attached to an arm H securedto theshaft I, journaled at its inner end in the bearingA and at itsouter end in the bearing A3. On the outer end of -the shaft I is securedan arm J on which is adjustably held a weight J by the use of a setscrew J2. On the shaft I outside of the hopper A is arranged akey Ivengaging a key-wayon the pivotal end I" of a pointer K, indicating on afixed scale L, having marks representing pounds or .other weight ormeasure. On the pointer K is adjustably held a weight N for imparting adownward swinging action to the pointer K to hold the follower H incontact with the top of the carbid held inthe' feed hopper A, the saidweight N overbalancing. the weighted arm J. A spring O presses againstthe fulcrum end K of the. pointer K, -to hold the latter normally in theposition shown in Figs. 3 and 4, that is, kin engagement with the key I,and thev said fulcru-m end K of the pointer K is adapted to engage a-camP, so that when the 4pointer K swings downward the ca m P shifts thefulcrum end K of the pointer K lengthwise on the shaft I and against thetension of the V spring O, and when the pointer K reaches a lowermostposition then the. fulcrum end K of. the pomter K is out of engagementwith the key I', so that the shaft I is free .-.to turn by the action ofthe weighted arm J,

to swing the follower H upward into its uppermost position, in a 'mannerpresently to be described and as indicated in Figs. 2 and 3. The cam Pis held vertically adjustable on thev bearing A3 by the use of a bolt Pengaging an elongated slot A4 in the said bearing, see Fig. 1. Byadjusting the cam P up or down the follower H can be released 'sooner orlater during its downward swinging movement according'to the amount ofcarbid desired to be in the bottom of the hopper A at the time ofreleasing the follower.

On the arm F of the container F is arranged a transversely-extendingpin` F2 adapted to be engaged by the arm H of the follower H when thelatter swings upward, and the container F is returnedvtov normalvertical position by the arm H when the latter returns to its uppermostposition.

. The weight N is adapted to engage a spring contactJ arm Q and pressthe same downward 1nto engagement with a fixed contact point Q2 of anelectric alarm Q, of any'approved construction, so as to closetheelectric circuit and lsound the alarm Q at the time the pointer Kreaches a lowermost4 position, that is, at the time the carbid has beendischarged from the hopper A. Thus when an alarm is sounded, theoperator in charge can attend to the recharging ofY the feed hopper A.By adjusting-the weightA N Aon the pointer` K the alarm canbe soundedsooner orlater, that is, if desired,the alarm can be sounded when thecarbid has been completely discharged from the hopper A, or when a.certain amount, say five orv ten- Dounds, is still contained in the saidhopper. For the purpose mentioned, the weight N is provided with a stemN having a plurality of apertures N2, any one of which can'be engaged bya .pin N? adapted to be engaged with one of aA series of apertures K2formed in the pointer K. Thus by engaging the pin N3 with anyone of theapertures N2, K2,

4the weight N may be adjusted to engage the contact Q -sooner or later,as above mentioned. 0n the shaft I is secured an arm R within-the hopperA and adapted to engage the arm F carrying the container F, so that whentheshaft I is turned by hand or by theaction of the pointer K thefollower H at the time the pointer K reaches a predetermined lowermostposition, then the arm R engages the arm F and imparts a swinging motionto the same, to tilt the container F intoa dumping position, and thusempty its contents intothe hopper A. It is understood that the containerF can be moved ;into dumping position, either automatically as abovedescribed or by the operator turn ing either the shaft C or the shaft I.The shaft I can be turned by the operator taking hold`of the army J orthe pointer K. l

The operation' is as follows: When the container F is likewise filled,and the several parts are in the position as indicated in the drawings.Nowas the carbid islperiodically discharged from the feed hopper Aand-its level sinks in the said hopper, the follower H moves downwardwith the top or level of the carbid owing to the action of theoverbalancing weight N on the pointer K attached'to the shaft I carryingthe arm H of the follower H. When 'all or nearly all of the carbid hasleft the feed hopper A then the weight N bears on the contact spring armQ to press the same downward Ein engagement with the point ,Q2 toclosefth'e circuit and thus sound an alarm, so that the operator incharge can turn theshaft G or I to tilt the container F and thus emptythe ontents into the hopper A, thereby profeedho'pper A is filled withcarbid then the viding a supplemental charge of the carbid. d

In case the attendant fails to ti tthe cont `iner F then a further down,ard movement of the follower H causes the arm R t0 `tilt the containerF, so that the supplemental the spring arm to allow the follower to passinto an extreme lowermost position.

VIt is understood that the weight N may contact with and rest upon thespring- Q l -niay merely cont-act momentarily with the until the pointeris raised, or the weight N spring Q and then slidepast it according tothe adjustment of the weight N on the lever K by the use of the pin N3engaging corresponding holes N2,'K2.

From the foregoing it will be seen that the supplemental charge canbe'dumped into the feed hopper A by hand or automatically, and-thedevice can be set to set off the alarm either when there'is no carbidleft in the feed hopper, or a small quantity, sayfive or ten pounds, asthe case may be. It will also be noticed that as the follower H movesdownward with the carbid in the hopper A, the pointer K indicates-on thescale L' the exactvamount of carbid remaining inthe hopper, so that theattendant can see at a glance how much carbid there is left in thehopper A. It will also be noticed that the' follower H automaticallyreturnsv to its uppermost position after the carbid is discharged fromthe hopper A and wholly independent of the pointer K, which latter hasto be raised by hand When refilling the feed hopper A. The follower Hand its arm H duringl their downward movement press on the carbid andthereby assist in feeding the carbiddownward. The follower H and its armH -may be actuated by hand from the outside on turning the shaft todisturb the carbid in case the same should be clogged.

By the arrangement described it is wholly unnecessary to open and fillthe feed hopper at -night, as the reserve supply in-the container F canbe dumped as soon as the regular supply is exhausted, by simply turningthe handle G. The pointer K and the scale L form a visible reminder forthe attendant, as they indicate the exact amount-of carbid in the feedhopper A, and in addition an alarm is sounded as soon as the carbidreaches A,a low stage 'in the feed hopper. It will further be noticedthat by' the 'arrangement described, the container F may be dumpedeither before or aftersounding the alarm. The adjustable devices arelocated outside o'f the apparatus and are hence within reach of theoperator at any time and enable him to set or actuate the devices tosuit his convenience and desires.Y

It is understood that the weight N may be set to make contact with thespring Q/- at the time the hopper A still contains, say, ten pounds ofcarbid, and thus when the alarm is sounded the operator in charge knowsthat ten pounds of carbid are still in the hopper and .a supply is alsoin the cup F, which has not been dumped but may be dumped wit-hin thehopper, if so desired, or the hopper may be refilled without the cuphaving been dumped. Thus the arrangemcnt described forms an indicator ofthe feed supply independent of the pointer K and scale L.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secureby Letters Patent: i y 4 `1. An acetylene gas generator provided with afeed hopper, a follower within the said hopper andhaving an arm and aplate adapted to rest on top of the carbid in the said feed hopper, atransverse shaft in the said feed hopper and carrying the said followerarm, the said shaft extending to the outside of the said feed hopper, apointer on the outer end of the shaft, a fixed scale on which thepointer indicates and automatic means for returning the said follower touppermost 2. An acetylene gas generator provided with a feed hopper, afollower within the said hopper and consisting of an arm and a plateadapted to rest on top of the carbid in the said feed hopper, atransverse shaft in the said hopper and` carrying the said follower arm,the said shaft extending tothe outside of the said feed hopper, apointer on the outer end of the shaft, a fiXedscale on which indicatesthe said pointer, a weight`on the said pointer and automa-ticmeans forreturning the said follower to uppermost position independent of -theVsaid pointer.

3. An acetylene" gas generator, provided said hopper and adapted to reston top of the carbid in the-said feed hopper, a shaft carrying the saidrfollower and extending to the outside of the said feed hopper, aweighted arm on the said shaft to return the fol` lower,- a weightedpointer having a sliding and turning connection with the said shaft,

and a cam adapted to vbe engaged by the said pointer to release theshaft from the weighted pointer and allow the follower to return touppermost position.

4. An acetylene gas generator, provided with a feed hopper, a followerwithin the` said hopper and adapted to rest on top of the carbid in thesaid feed hopper, a shaft carrying ,the said follower and extending tothe outside of the said feed hopper, a weighted arm on the said shaft toreturn the follower, a weighted pointer having a sliding positionindependent of the said pointer.

' with`a feed hopper, a follower within the latter, indicating meansconnected with the In testimony whereof I have. signed my saidfollowerffor indicating the amount of 4name to this specification linthey presence of carbidin the hopper and means actuated by twosubscribing Witnesses.

the indicator whereby the said container and v JOHN F. WILLIAMS. 5 thesaid follower are restored to their upper- Witnesses:

most position when the indicator `reaches a THEO. G. Hos'rER,

predetermined point. PHILIP D. RonLHAUs.

